


the 50th hunger games

by lostariels



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, F/F, I'd just like to say fuck Mon-El, Inspired by The Hunger Games, One Shot, but here we are anyway, in hindsight I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to write it, the real star-crossed lovers of the hunger games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-09 01:53:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12266484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostariels/pseuds/lostariels
Summary: In the second Quarter Quell there were twice as many tributes chosen to participate in the 50th Hunger Games. It was the year that Haymitch Abernathy won, but in District 3, there were two girls who fought hard to protect each other in the arena, and they didn't know that they loved each other until it was too late. There could only be one victor.





	the 50th hunger games

**Author's Note:**

> soz

            The second Quarter Quell had been announced months ago, and everyone hadn’t been able to stop talking about it since then. Four tributes. For the fiftieth Hunger Games, there would be four of them put into the arena, and Kara was filled with fear. She was twice as likely to get picked this year. It was the fifth year that she would have to be herded into the section with the rest of her age group, anxiously waiting for the escort for District Three to rummage around in one of the glass balls and draw out a slip of paper that may of may not have contained her name. Her biggest fear was that Alex would be picked – or she would get picked and Alex would try and volunteer – and Kara wouldn’t be able to save her.

 

            Alex had signed up for tesserae since the moment she’d turned twelve – taking it for herself, Kara and Eliza. Her father had died years ago in a factory accident, so she only had to have an extra three names each year. When Kara turned twelve, Alex wouldn’t allow Kara to have her name in more times than necessary, and she took it upon herself to get tesserae for the three of them, so this year she would have her name in the ball twenty-eight times, while Kara would only have it in five times. There would be two opportunities for them both to be picked this year though, and as Kara was put in with the rest of the sixteen year olds, she tried to spot her sister’s dark hair amongst the eighteen year olds gathering together.

 

            She couldn’t find her, and Kara found her breathing increase as she started to panic slightly. Every year she would panic at this, partly because of the fear of being chosen, but also because of the throngs of people pressing in close all around her. Chest heaving, she glanced around, everything out of focus and her ears ringing slightly as she tried to calm herself down. And then she saw a pair of green eyes staring at her a few feet to her left. Lena. Immediately, Kara felt everything go quiet, and all she could see were those eyes, filled with concern. She had spent hours daydreaming of those eyes in the back of her physics class, and the tiny scar above one of them, and the slim fingers that dutifully copies down notes or tinkered with machines in engineering with careful precision. Kara had spent hours thinking about Lena. Falling in love with her from across the room, and cherishing all the times they’d get paired together because they were the smartest in their grade.

 

            A slight crease formed between Lena’s furrowed eyebrows as she stared right back at Kara, and a jolt went through Kara. She had to pull herself together. With a deep breath, she gave Lena a small smile, knowing that it wouldn’t be convincing at all. Quickly looking away, before she stared too long, Kara looked back towards the stage, waiting for the ceremony to start.

 

            _“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the fiftieth anniversary of the Hunger Games!”_ the cheerful escort said into the mic, the woman’s words ringing out across the square as she spoke. Her name was Cat Grant, from the capitol, and she was quite subdued for a citizen from the capitol – only her clothes were outlandish, compared to some of the escorts who had odd body modifications and crazy hair – and she had been the escort for District Three for a number of years. Kara had watched her pick names out of the balls since before she’d even had her name placed in any. _“And to the second Quarter Quell! As always, ladies first.”_

 

            Her head was pounding in her chest, and her palms sweating, as she watched the blonde haired woman walk across the stage towards the clear bowl stuffed full of names. Silently praying that Alex’s name didn’t get picked, Kara squeezed her eyes shit. She could handle anything as long as her sister didn’t get picked. If Alex was fine, then she would be okay; she could handle it if it was herself. She didn’t even dare to breathe as she listened to Cat Grant walk back over to the mic and open the slip of paper. Kara swore that her heart stopped as the name was spoken.

 

            _“The first female tribute from District Three is … Lena Luthor.”_

            Kara couldn’t stop the small whimper that slipped out, and she sharply turned her head to look at the other girl in shock. Lena was stood completely still, her khaki slacks and matching shirt perfectly creased, her hands held in front of her as she stared blankly ahead.

 

            _Not her,_ Kara thought to herself, _please, anyone but her._

 

            Watching as Lena was pushed and prodded forward by a few relieved people around her, Kara broke out of her frozen state, pushing through the throngs of people as she stumbled towards Lena. Reaching out, Kara grabbed her by the hand, and Lena whirled around, her eyes wide with panic and full of fear.

 

            “Lena.”

 

            Slowly, Lena pulled her hand out of Kara’s, giving her a smile on instinct, and she turned back around. Kara watched her walk out into the path separating the boys from the girls, and she was escorted up to the stage by a group of peacekeepers. The only thing that Kara could think in all her shock was how she wished it had been her – she would switch places with her if she could – and Kara opened her mouth to say something as she watched Lena take her spot on the stage and Cat Grant walked back over to the ball to pluck out the next girl.

 

 

            _“And our second tribute is … Kara Danvers.”_

 

            Her mouth opened and closed, and she felt the relief that swept through the rest of the girls. All of them except one. Her feet moved of their own accord, moving her through the crowd as Lena had just done, and the peacekeepers surrounded her, herding her towards the steps.

 

            “Kara!”

 

            She whirled around at the sound of her name being called. It wasn’t an angry shout, it was a broken one, filled with desperation as Alex tried to fight her way through the group of older girls. “Kara!” Alex cried again, her eyes wild with panic as Kara stared at her, “Kara, let me. Please, let me.”

 

            Fighting back tears, Kara shook her head. They’d made a pact the first year that Kara had been entered into the pool – neither of them would volunteer if the other was picked. So far, they hadn’t had to deal with the possibility of that … until now. As Alex stood there begging, with tears filling her eyes, Kara silently begged her not to fight her on this. She couldn’t watch her sister _and_ the girl she loved both die in there. All she could do was hope that she could save the one whose place she couldn’t take. In a daze, she climbed the steps and stood next to Lena, staring at her in shock. She could see the muscles in Lena’s jaw working as she clenched and unclenched her teeth, trying to remain calm, but Kara could see the slight tremble in her hands. She had the urge to reach out and take it in her own, but stopped herself. There was no room for weakness right now, not in front of so many people and all of the potential sponsors in the capitol.

 

            The two male tributes were announced, and the four of them were quickly bundled into the Town Hall, where Kara patiently waited for Alex and Eliza while she tried to stay calm. It wasn’t working so well, and she paced back and forth non-stop, until the doors burst open and she threw herself into the arms of her mother and sister. No one stopped crying from the moment they entered the room, until the moment Kara was dragged away from them.

 

            They last thing she said to them both was that she loved them.

 

\---

 

            They didn’t trust each other at first. Or rather, they didn’t know that the other was in love with them, and didn’t trust that they wouldn’t kill them, but knew that they couldn’t bring themselves to kill the other. It had been on the edge of the meadow, as far as they could get from the cornucopia, that they had found each other, Lena hiding in the shadows of the woods, while Kara ran from of of the thin beaked birds that chased after her. A well aimed knife from Lena had saved her, and Kara had scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with panic as she took in the sight of the girl she loved, armed to the teeth with an array of weapons that she could use to carve her up. Lena hadn’t though, and had stood there with a wary look on her face, a newly drawn dagger held loosely at her side as she waited for Kara to make the first move. None of them were willing to admit what would happen if they had been attacked by the girl they loved – it would’ve been stupid to say that they would’ve let themselves be killed, rather than kill the person they had loved from afar. It didn’t come down to it though, and they had formed an alliance, helping each other collect rainwater that was safe to drink, and sharing the supplies they’d stolen from the packs of dead bodies.

 

            They knew it wouldn’t last – there could only be one victor – but they were enjoying each other’s company while it _did_ last. Eventually they would be killed, or it would come down to the two of them. If it did, they both knew they wouldn’t have the strength to turn on one another. They would separate and let the nature of the games run its course. They didn’t make it that far though, and ten days in they met their end.

 

            A twig snapped and both girls whirled around, scanning the woods for any sign of movement. It had been close. They stood back to back, slowly scanning the trees as they waited for the person hunting them down to reveal themselves, and eventually the career from District Two stepped out from behind a tree. Lena remembered him from training. His name was Mon-El, and he’d been bloodthirsty and boastful from the very beginning, and skilled. He smiled as he stepped into the clearing, a spear and a dagger held loosely in both hands, but she knew that his casualness betrayed the deadly lethality beneath it.

 

            “What a nice surprise. Two pretty birds just waiting to be caught,” Mon-El said, leaning on his spear as he grinned at them both. There was a cruel arrogance to his handsome face, and Lena tightened her grip on her sword, clenching her teeth as she tracked his every movement. Her hands may have been more suited to pulling apart engines, but she would just as easily disassemble him if given the chance.

 

            He didn’t waste time bragging or baiting them, and soon her and Kara were ducking and stabbing with their swords as they tried to get the better of him. They were too slow. Kara was hurt first, and Lena knew it from the small gasp of surprise that tumbled past her lips, and her face turned white with shock as she looked at the spear jabbed upwards beneath Kara’s ribs. She didn’t hesitate as she threw herself at Mon-El, tackling him to the ground as she pierced his heart with her sword, but not before he impaled her on the long dagger as they tumbled to the leaf-strewn floor.

 

            She didn’t care about herself though, and Lena had pulled the dagger out and crawled over to Kara, who was whimpering as she pulled the spear out. Keeping the weapons in would’ve increased their chances of survival – they knew that – but no help was coming. No one would save them now, but Lena still pressed her hands down on top of Kara’s wound, trying to keep the blood in before she bled out. It was no use though, and they both knew that.

 

            “Lena,” Kara croaked, her eyes wide with panic and glistening with tears, “Lena, I-I’m dying.”

 

            “No you’re not,” Lena stubbornly told her, her eyes prickling with tears and her face twisted with pain as she felt hot blood trickle down her stomach. “I won’t let you.”

 

            Letting out a shaky laugh, Kara gave her an eye-crinkling smile, “y-you might be smart, but even you c-can’t fix this.” At the grim look of terror on Lena’s steadily paling face, Kara reached up to cover Lena’s hands, slick with Kara’s blood, with her own. “I-It’s okay, Lena. You should g-go, before someone else turns up.”

 

            “No!” Lena snapped, “I won’t leave you.”

 

            “Y-you need to go,” Kara repeated, and then she saw the pooling bloodstain on Lena’s stomach and let out a strangled sob. “No. No, Lena, y-you can’t- you have to go. Go and get h-help. One of the sponsors will h-help you – they’ll send you-“

 

            Lena let out a tearful laugh, keeping her hands pressed firmly on Kara’s wound, “it’s too late.”

 

            “No, no it’s not,” Kara sobbed, “y-you can’t die. It was s-supposed to be _me_. I was supposed t-to keep you safe. I-I was the only one who was supposed t-to-”

 

            “No, no, no,” Lena sobbed, unable to hold them back any longer as her shoulders shook, “y-you can’t die, Kara. You can’t. I-I love you … I’ve always loved you. Y-you’re going to win this. You’re going t-to go back home, and you’ll go back to your sister … you’ll be a great physicist. Y-you always were smart. I-I used to watch you in class; you always knew every answer. It’s why I loved you. And y-your smile. You have the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.”

 

            “Yeah?” Kara said, choking on a laugh. She winced as her body was wracked with coughs, and blood cascaded down her chin as she gasped for air. “I always loved you most. I-I’m sorry I d-didn’t tell you s-sooner. Win th-this … for me. Please.”

 

            Sobbing, Lena held her close, kissing her on the temple as she stroked Kara’s dirty golden hair with bloodstained fingers. “I-I don’t think that I can, sweetheart.”

 

            “You have t-to try,” Kara gasped, “please.”

 

            “Okay,” Lena choked out, giving Kara a tearful smile as tears slid down her cheeks. Kara returned the smile, her teeth stained red and her whole body shaking from the shock of the fatal wound. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes, and Lena wiped them away, trying to stifle her sobs. “I wish we’d h-had more time. I wish I’d kn-known.”

 

            Picking up Kara’s hand, Lena held it tightly in her own, placing desperate kisses to the back of it. “We kn-know … n-now,” Kara stammered, her breathing laboured and more blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth as she spoke, dripping down onto Lena’s jacket. “A-at least w-we know … before … the end.”

 

            Lena bit back a sob, shaking as more tears slid down her cheeks, “shh, you’re going t-to be fine.”

 

            “Of c-course I am,” Kara laughed, “I-I’m with _you_.” Lena let out a shaky laugh, sniffing as she tried to keep it together - for Kara’s sake. Holding the dying girl she’d loved from afar for so long, Lena began to rock her back and forth, murmuring quietly to her. “L-Lena … c-can you do something … f-for me.”

 

            “Anything,” Lena sobbed.

 

            “Kiss me,” Kara asked, weakly bringing a hand up to cup Lena’s cheek as she wiped away the tears. “I-I want t-to kiss you once … before I-“

 

            Lena’s lips firmly came down on hers before Kara could finish her sentence. She didn’t _want_ her to finish her sentence. Kara’s lips were covered in her own blood, and Lena’s mouth was filled with the coppery taste of it as her tongue slid across Kara’s bottom lip, but she didn’t care. All she cared about right now was being with Kara as much as she could while she still could. Despite her promise, Lena wouldn’t be too far behind Kara, and could already feel herself weakening as blood pooled out of the stab wound in her stomach. They didn’t have much time left together.

 

            Eventually she pulled back, and Kara smiled up at her as she trembled, running a thumb over Lena’s high cheekbone. “P-perfect,” she whispered, genuine joy on her face as she smiled and her eyes sparkled beneath the tears of pain. “S-so beautiful. You’ve a-always been beautiful. When d-did you know, that y-you loved me, Lena?”

 

            Lena sniffed, shifting so that she lay in a more comfortable position, with her legs spread out before her and Kara cradled in her lap. “Um, I-I think I’ve always been in love w-with you,” Lena said, “but, um, I-I think I knew the day that y-you noticed me. It was the f-first time anyone had ever paid attention to me. We were in the courtyard, playing jacks with e-everyone else, a-and you said that one of my eyes was greener th-than the other. No one h-had ever commented on it before. Maybe they d-didn’t notice … but you did. After that I-I made sure I noticed everything about y-you. The scar on your forehead; the way you would bite the end of y-your pencil; how you get this c-crinkle between your eyebrows when you think too hard. I-I noticed it all … I fell in love with it all. In love with you.”

 

            She didn’t get a reply off Kara, and she looked down, letting out a broken sound of anguish as she looked into the blue, lifeless eyes. All of the warmth and love in them that Lena had fallen in love with was gone, replaced by a blank unseeing stare. Letting out a heartbroken sob, Lena leant down and kissed Kara’s still warm lips, her tears dripping down onto her face as she cried. She peppered Kara’s face with kisses, murmuring ‘I love you’s’ against her cooling skin as she held her close.

 

            Feeling herself weaken as she lost too much blood, Lena knew that the end was near for her. She moved Kara off her lap, laying her down in the middle of the clearing, and Lena laid down beside her. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and it kissed Lena’s pale skin with its warmth one last time. Turning to look at the face of the girl she loved, Lena pulled her close, fumbling with Kara’s dead weight, and cradling her against her chest, she laced the fingers of one of their hand’s together, linking them so that they couldn’t be separated, not even in death. She wouldn’t let them take Kara form her.

 

            Looking up at the bright sun, with the weight of Kara on her chest, Lena drew in a shaky breath, running her fingers through Kara’s hair as she breathing grew shallower and shallower. She could hear her rapid heartbeat in her ears, struggling to keep pumping blood through her body, even though she’d already lost too much for it to make a difference. Her lips found Kara’s forehead one last time, before she laid her head down on the carpet of leaves and dirt beneath her.

 

            “I love you, Kara,” Lena whispered, and just like Kara’s last word had been Lena’s name, the last word that fell from Lena’s was Kara’s name.

 

            She stilled soon after, as death took her into its clutches, and the two girls lay in the middle of the woods, wrapped up in each other, and finally at peace as the sun beat down on them. When the hovercraft came to take the dead bodies, it drew the two girls up together in its large claw, their fingers still twined together and Lena’s arm cradling Kara to her chest.

 

            Not even death could separate them now.


End file.
